


An Arsonist, a Himbo, and a Cup of Joe

by Grovygrunge



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-02
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2021-02-18 08:20:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21641068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grovygrunge/pseuds/Grovygrunge
Summary: The Mad Burnish find shelter after evading the Freeze Force, but not all goes as according to plan.
Relationships: Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos, Meis/Gueira
Comments: 10
Kudos: 115





	An Arsonist, a Himbo, and a Cup of Joe

**Author's Note:**

> My first attempt at a fic, cuz Promare forced my hand, and I yeet it out at the world.
> 
> Meis and Gueira are Punk Married (tattoos are better than rings) but are taking a backseat to the big dorks

Strands of orange light slipped through the myriad of holes that dotted the blinds, illuminating the room. Particles of dust swirled through the beams of light, sent flying as three figures, all clad in sleek black armor, hurried through the back door. The largest of the trio slammed the door firmly shut and braced his shoulder against its center. One of his more slender companions, the tallest one, watched over him in the event that anything tried to force its way through. As if the quiet hadn’t been sufficiently disturbed, a rumble could be heard in the distance. The faint roar of Freeze Force engines. The trio remained still, and more crucially, quiet. The seconds slowly crawled on as the final member of the trio, shorter than the others, glanced about the room, surveying their surroundings. 

Directly in front of him was a counter, covered in such a thick sheet of dust that it coated the pointed finger of his armor as he dragged it across the surface. He gave it a quick knock which was met with a thunk. Wooden, seemingly still solid. Atop the counter sat a cash register that once must have been pristine and white, but was now more of a faded yellow and just as dusty as the surface it sat upon. The display was blank too. No power? A tilt of his head allowed him to spot a nearby light switch. For later, when the Freeze Force wasn’t bearing down, perhaps. On the opposite end of the counter sat a coffee pot, the plug dangling over the edge, clearly not plugged in. With careful steps, trying not to make too much sound, he made his way around the counter to take in the rest of the room. Tables were scattered across most of it, each with four chairs, a pair on opposing ends of each table, the sides left unobstructed. On the opposite end of the room, there was a door that led outside if the windows flanking it were any indication. He filed that away as a potential escape plan. Finally, there was another door to his left, which was currently closed, on the other side of which he found stacks upon stacks of boxes. Prying one open revealed many cans of coffee beans of various blends. Decaf, espresso, latte, and so on. Was it normal to just leave all this stuff lying around? Whatever, that shouldn’t be his concern right now.

He returned to the others. The roaring engines now having gone all but silent.

“I think we’re good, Boss.” Said the larger of the trio, Gueira as his armor simmered to nothing, revealing his messy red hair and that he was, in fact, not at all broader than either of his companions. His head no longer covered, he recoiled as he was immediately hit but an intense musty scent that permeated the air. “What’s that smell?”

“You find anything out of the ordinary?” The tallest, Meis, followed suit, raising a hand to brush a swathe of purple hair back over his eye. He pretended like he couldn’t notice the aroma.

“No.” With the confirmation that their trail has been abandoned, the shortest, Lio, discards his armor as well. “This seems to just be a simple co-”

There was a crash from the other side of the room as the door suddenly flew open. A well-built man with a large blue mohawk stepped into the building, a wide, beaming smile on his face. 

“Rise and shine! It’s time to seize the day and save lives!” 

The trio stood frozen, staring at the unexpected arrival. Each of them slowly processing his entrance. Lio quickly took in what he could about the stranger. Orange pants with a yellow three at the knee. Stylistic choice? No, he was wearing heavy duty gloves and boots. Burning Rescue? But he was shirtless? Why would Burning Rescue even be here? And alone at that. He must be some kind of idiot.

“What?” Gueira broke the silence, his face twisted into a confused grimace. Behind the counter, his hands had balled into fists. He tensed up, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice. There was a squeeze at his shoulder, Meis’ hand, a silent signal to dial it back just a notch.

“The sign said this place is a coffee shop, and I saw movement inside so…” The assumed Burning Rescue member paused, his brow furrowing and his jaw setting as his eyes scanned over the dismal state of the room. “Say… you guys don’t take very good care of this place.”

Meis and Gueira’s jaws went slack and their eyes met. Immediately, they knew what the other was thinking. _This guy’s a fucking idiot._ Whilst the pair stood in awe of the density the man before them was displaying, Lio stepped forward from behind the counter. He needed to ensure this guy went away without a trace of suspicion in his mind.

“We’re the new owners. We’ve not yet finished setting the place straight again.” 

Gueira flung his arms in the air in sheer disbelief at what Lio just said. _What was he thinking?_ Meis quickly swept into action. A hand rested on either shoulder and squeezing reassuringly. The boss always knows what he’s doing. 

“He’s just excited about the venture.” Lio swiftly answered the question before it even came, noticing the strange lift a hand and begin to point towards Meis.

“Oh. I suppose you would be, yeah! So… you’re not open yet.”

“Sadly not, so-”

“Then I can help! I can help you get ready, and you guys can start sooner whilst I get my coffee. Everybody wins!” The stranger flashed Lio beaming smile as he gave him a thumbs up. 

“So, either we let you help, or you’re going to wait here for the coffee whilst we set up?” The Burnish couldn’t help but return the smile. This was ridiculous! “Fine. You can… help unpack the boxes. Satisfied?”  
The stranger merely nodded and strode his way over to the supply room with a swagger in his step. As he disappeared past the door, Lio could hear by a boisterous cry. “Don’t worry, guys! For I, the world’s finest firefighter with a burning soul, Galo Thymos, will help!”

Guiera swiftly ran out of the room with a shriek, shooting Lio a bemused look as he flung his arms out to gesture in the direction of the strange man. “Who the hell is he?”

“I just said, Galo Thymos. Nice to meet you!”

The three Mad Burnish couldn’t help but be impressed by the strange, loud man who had burst into their path, as he immediately emerged with four boxes in his grip. He held two on either forearm, his hands gripping the top to ensure they wouldn’t fall. Setting the boxes on the counter, he began getting to work stackings various cans onto shelves behind the counter. As they watched him work, Meis and Gueira crouched to whisper between themselves and Lio.

“Boss,” Gueira spoke first. “What exactly are we doing?”

“Getting him to go away as soon as we can.”

“We could just bolt now. What’s he going to do, chase us? We could just scare him off.”

“He’s seen our faces.” Meis interjects. “This might be the best way to get out of this without bringing more trouble our way.”

“Exactly.” Lio nods, a gloved hand running through his voluminous green locks. This was a bit of a hassle. He had hoped this Galo would just go away once he said they weren’t open. “Plus, if the Freeze Force haven’t given up yet, maybe they will have by the time we’re done here.” Yes, that’s a perfectly good justification.

“If you’re sure, Boss.”

“I am. Now, you two go figure out how to prepare coffee for him whilst I help.” His hands are raised in front of both of them before either can say anything. “So we can get gone quicker.”

Without another word, he strides over to the counter, leaving the pair to figure out their part on their own. 

Galo had already gotten through a handful of boxes, enough to stack two shelves with various different blends of coffee with an assortment of packaging. He pointed to a tin of decaf that he held in his hand as Lio approached. “Whoever owned this place before must have been really into this stuff, huh?”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, there’s just so many kinds here. This one says-” He paused to read the label. “Rich blend. I saw another one that said Arabica, whatever that is. I just thought coffee was coffee”

“Right…” Lio shrugged, not entirely sure how to respond. Coffee was not exactly a subject of interest to him. 

“You got a favourite kind?”

“No. I don’t drink coffee.” He froze stiff as he said it, the response automatic. He could feel Galo’s flit from the latest tin to be placed on a shelf and down to him. His face remained neutral, masking the fear that he may have just ruined the ruse.

“Yeah?” Galo scratched at his chin, then his hand reached down and pat at Lio’s shoulder. “Don’t drink it yourself, but like prepping people up for their day? That’s noble of you! We need more of that.”

Lio found himself smiling up at the self-proclaimed greatest firefighter once again. He was unbelievable. “You like to assume the best of people, huh?”

“I don’t know what you mean…” He frowned for the briefest moment, before shrugging and placing a tin in Lio’s hand. “Hold that.”

And then his hands found Lio’s hips, taking a firm hold as he hoisted the small man up into the air. Lio’s legs kicked out at empty space as he was suddenly lifted and the security of solid ground beneath his feet disappeared.

“What are you doing?”

“I can’t reach the top shelf, and I don’t think you could lift me.”

“Ask first!”

“Oh! Sorry. Could you just… put it on the shelf. Right there.”

Lio let out an exasperated sigh as he reached for the shelf. This could not end soon enough. 

The next hour and a half passed in similar fashion. Galo coming back and forth with several boxes in hand, him and Lio placing the items within on shelves and on the counter wherever they could reach, and the two of them working in tandem to reach those places they could not on their own. By the time they were done, the place looked a lot more lived in. Or at least, like a very dusty place with food and drink in it. Guiera and Meis had to improvise and use their own flames to boil a pot of coffee, as the building lacked any power at all. They could all smell how clearly burnt it was. Galo made no comment and merely took the cup, taking a sip of the piping hot coffee. In a way, he regretted his decision immediately. It was acrid, and extremely acidic. He hadn’t given it any time to cool either, so it burnt his tongue and throat. But on the other hand, he was now more awake than he had ever been. And the way it burned felt like it was preparing him for the heat of a raging inferno. So clearly it had worked! That’s what coffee is for after all, right?

“This is great! How much do I owe you?”

The three Burnish almost visibly deflated as it seemed this diversion was soon to come to an end.

“Call it… seven bucks?” Gueria was the first to answer, and it earned him a glare from Meis.

“Seven?” The wheel in Galo’s head turned slowly. That did seem a little more than he was expecting, but- “It was pretty unique. And I do feel ready to take on just about any fire that comes my way. So, sure!”

After paying, he stopped short of the door as he left. “I forgot to ask, what are your names?”

Lio blinked once, then twice, before answering. “Why?”

“Well if I’m going to keep coming here, I need to know your name, right? It’d be rude otherwise.”

“I… Am Lio Fotia.” He introduced himself before gesturing to his two right hand men, one of whom was having to be physically restrained by the other to prevent an outburst in front of their new customer. “The one with purple hair is Meis, and the other is Gueira. Thank you for your patronage…”

“Great to meet you all! I’ll be back same time tomorrow, good luck with your business!” And with that, he was gone, leaving Lio to face the outrage that was sure to come.


End file.
